Roller skate construction

ABSTRACT

A roller skate comprises a shoe-forming instep having a bottom wall with a metal strut extending downwardly from the bottom wall along a major portion of the length of the shoe. The strut has two longitudinally spaced wheel brace projections. A sole is joined to the instep and extends over the strut from the front to the rear of the shoe and it defines a wheel bearing threaded receiving socket below each strut projection. A wheel bearing member is threaded into each socket and it rotatably supports the roller skate wheels. The sole is advantageously formed as a laminate of rubber with a central metal core which is secured to the front of the shoe instep by an encircling band and the entire structure is vulcanized. The layers are secured together by openings defined between the adjacent layers which permit the movement of the material of one layer into the other layer. The forward end of the skate advantageously includes a projecting portion which extends downwardly from the toe of the shoe and which is provided with a threaded damping pin which projects outwardly from the front end and which may be employed for engaging the floor surface to slow the wearer&#39;&#39;s speed, for example.

United States Patent [191 Hiraki 51 Oct. 22, 1974 1 ROLLER SKATE CONSTRUCTION [76] Inventor: Kunio Hiraki, No. 18-1, l-Chome,

Tenjin-Cho, Nagata-ku, Kobe, Japan [22] Filed: July 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 380,265

Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Attorney, Agent, or F irmMcGew and Tuttle 57 ABSTRACT A roller skate comprises a shoe-forming instep having a bottom wall with a metal strut extending downwardly from the bottom wall along a major portion of the length of the shoe. The strut has two longitudinally spaced wheel brace projections. A sole is joined to the instep and extends over the strut from the front to the rear of the shoe and it defines a wheel bearing threaded receiving socket below each strut projection. A wheel bearing member is threaded into each socket and it rotatably supports the roller skate wheels. The sole is advantageously formed as a laminate of rubber with a central metal core which is secured to the front of the shoe instep by an encircling band and the entire structure is vulcanized. The layers are secured together by openings defined between the adjacent layers which permit the movement of the material of one layer into the other layer. The forward end of the skate advantageously includes a projecting portion which extends downwardly from the toe of the shoe and which is provided with a threaded damping pin which projects outwardly from the front end and which may be employed for engaging the floor surface to slow the wearers speed, for example.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDum 2-2 1914 v 13:843. 14

SHEET 1 0F 3 PATENTEDUCTZZISM 3843146 sum 30F 3 ROLLER SKATE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates in general to the construction of roller skates and, in particular, to a new and useful shoe roller skate having a shoe instep with a strut extending along the length thereof depending from the bottom and covered by a rubber material and with socket portions being formed at spaced locations for receiving threaded wheel support bearings.

2. Description of the Prior Art At the present time, so-called shoe roller skates are known which comprise a shoe of a leather or similar material having a metal or similar mounting at the bottom thereof for rotatably supporting wheels such as the usual heavy metal or wooden wheels. A disadvantage of the known constructions is that the shoes are very heavy due to the wheel support mechanism which is required, and the known constructions are difficult to make and very expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, there is provided a roller skate which includes a shoe having a bottom portion with a metal strut extending along the length thereof which is covered by a sole made of a laminate of rubber and metal. The struts include at least two downwardly extending wheel support braces at spaced longitudinal locations. The sole is provided with two receiving sockets at the ends of the support braces which receive wheel bearing members which are threaded into the receiving sockets. The threaded bearing members carry axles for supporting roller wheels for rotational movement. The skate also includes a forward downwardly extending portion of the brace which is covered by a portion of the sole and which also defines a threaded receiving socket for a damping pin. The sole is advantageously formed of a laminate of rubber and metal with one of the rubber layers having openings which receive some of the material of the other rubber layer.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved skating device which includes an instep having a bottom wall which overlies a longitudinally elongated strut which depends downwardly from the bottom layer over a major portion of its length and which is covered by a sole covering of a laminate of two rubber layers with an intermediate metal plate and wherein the reinforcing strut includes two longitudinally spaced bracing portions which underlie receiving sockets defined in the outer sole layer which receive threaded roller bearing support members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe roller skate which includes a waffle-like supporting strut extending along the length of the bottom of the shoe instep which is covered by an outer sole and which defines a forward projecting portion and two longitudinally spaced threaded receiving socket portions, the receiving sockets containing threaded members which form bearing supports for the rollers of the skate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roller skate which is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises, a roller shoe skate, generally designated 50, which includes an upper shoe portion or instep covering 12, having a bottom portion which includes a bottomlayer 10 and a sock portion or upper layer 11.

In accordance with the invention, the bottom of the shoe is reinforced a longitudinally extending support member or strut 5 which extends along a major portion of the length of the shoe and which is of a selected width to provide adequate support for the underside'of the shoe. The reinforcing strut 5 includes downwardly extending projections 5a and 5b for the purpose of defining together with an outer sole covering, generally designated 52, wheel supporting bases generally designated l and 2. The strut 5 also includes a forward downwardly projecting portion 50 which forms together with the outer sole layer 52, and an outwardly and obliquely downwardly extending protuberance or front damping abutment, generally designated 3.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, each of the abutments l, 2 and 3 are formed with threaded receiving sockets 4a, 4b and 4c, respectively.

The outer sole layer 52 includes a laminate of unvulcanized rubber sole portions including an outer rubber layer A and an inner rubber layer B. Laminate forming the sole portion 52 includes an intermediate metal plate 7 having a plurality of holes 8 which also extend into one of the layers. The material of the other of the layers extends through the holes into the first layer. The holes are filled with unvulcanized raw rubber 9.

The lower peripheral edge of the instep 12 extends beyond the ends of the strut 5 at each end of the shoe and overlies the edge of the laminate layer 52 at each end. A tape 13 is secured around the periphery of the instep between the sole 52 and the instep 12 and is secured thereto such as by adhesive. The strut 5 is provided with a plurality of indentations or recesses 6. The whole structure is then vulcanized together to form a roller skating shoe body.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, wheels C are rotatably supported on wheel bearing members 17 which rotatably carry axles 15 for rotatably supporting the wheels 16 of the wheel assembly C. The wheel bearing member 14 is threaded externally so that it may be threadedly engaged into the receiving sockets 4a and 4b, respectively.

In addition, a damping pin, generally designated D, comprises a pin body 21 which is threaded exteriorly so that it may be threaded into the receiving socket 40 at the forward end of the skate. Each threaded bearing member 17 includes a tubular bottom portion 14a which defines a rotatable support bearing for the wheel axles 15 which supports a wheel 16 at each end, as shown in FIG. 6. A damping pin 21, having an exteriorly threaded shank portion is threeded into the receiving socket 40 over an annular ring or washer 18 made of an antiskid or knurled material. The damping pin outer surface may be engaged against the surface of the floor during roller skating for the purpose of slowing down the skater or for positioning the foot of the skater during a skating maneuver. The damping pin D is preferably made from a rubber material, or a synthetic material which may, for example, be blended with reinforcing fibers to increase the wear resistance.

The wheels 16 are advantageously made of rubber material so that no unpleasant sound is produced during skating with the skates of this construction. The entire construction is very lightweight but, nevertheless, very durable and long lasting. The mounting of the wheels and the damping members are such thatmaneuvering is easy and the lightness of weight makes the skates easy to handle. a

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is;

1. A roller skate comprising a shoe forming an instep covering having a bottom wall, a metal strut extending downwardly from said bottom wall along a major porthreaded wheel bearing member threaded into each of said receiving sockets and having at least one wheel rotatably supported thereon.

2. A roller skate, according to claim 1, wherein said sole comprises a laminate of a least two layers of elastic material with an intermediate metal plate therebetween.

3. A roller skate, according to claim 2, wherein one of the layers of the laminate includes holes therein and the other layer has a portion extending through said holes.

4. A roller skate, according to claim 1, wherein said metal strut comprises a waffle grid plate having side recesses therein which is overlayed by a layer of the laminate forming said sole.

5. A roller skate, according to claim 4, wherein said laminate includes an edge engaged against the bottom of said instep bottom, said strut extending between opposite ends of said sole.

6. A roller skate, according to claim 1, wherein said strut includes a downwardly extending forward portion, said sole overlying said forward portion having a receiving socket for a damping pin, and a damping pin threaded into said receiving socket for said damping pm.

7. A roller skate, according to claim 1, wherein said strut terminates short of the end of said sole bottom at each end, said sole extending between the ends of said strut and the ends of said shoe, a covering extending over said sole between said sole and said instep, said strut including a downwardly extending forward portion with the covering of said downwardly extending forward portion extending obliquely inwardly and downwardly from the front of said end of said instep.

8. A roller skate, according to claim 7, wherein said downwardly and inwardly extending front portion of said sole is provided with a threaded socket, and a pin tion of the length thereof and having at least two longi- 4() engaged in said socket and having an exterior surface which projects outwardly from said socket.

9. A roller skate, according to claim 8, wherein said pin is made of a reinforced resin material. 

1. A roller skate comprising a shoe forming an instep covering having a bottom wall, a metal strut extending downwardly from said bottom wall along a major portion of the length thereof and having at least two longitudinally spaced downwardly extending wheel brace projections, a sole joined to said instep and covering said strut and defining a wheel bearing threaded receiving socket below each wheel brace projection, and a threaded wheel bearing member threaded into each of said receiving sockets and having at least one wheel rotatably supported thereon.
 2. A roller skate, according to claim 1, wherein said sole comprises a laminate of a least two layers of elastic material with an intermediate metal plate therebetween.
 3. A roller skate, according to claim 2, wherein one of the layers of the laminate includes holes therein and the other layer has a portion extending through said holes.
 4. A roller skate, according to claim 1, wherein said metal strut comprises a waffle grid plate having side recesses therein which is overlayed by a layer of the laminate forming said sole.
 5. A roller skate, according to claim 4, wherein said laminate includes an edge engaged against the bottom of said instep bottom, said strut extending between opposite ends of said sole.
 6. A roller skate, according to claim 1, wherein said strut includes a downwardly extending forward portion, said sole overlying said forward portion having a receiving socket for a damping pin, and a damping pin threaded into said receiving socket for said damping pin.
 7. A roller skate, according to claim 1, wherein said strut terminates short of the end of said sole bottom at each end, said sole extending between the ends of said strut and the ends of said shoe, a covering extending over said sole between said sole and said instep, said strut including a downwardly extending forward portion with the covering of said downwardly extending forward portion extending obliquely inwardly and downwardly from the front of said end of said instep.
 8. A roller skate, according to claim 7, wherein said downwardly and inwardly extending front portion of said sole is provided with a threaded socket, and a pin engaged in said socket and having an exterior surface which projects outwardly from said socket.
 9. A roller skate, according to claim 8, wherein said pin is made of a reinforced resin material. 